(New York) I addressed the United Nations‘ 68th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs last week. My message was simple: Nations must reaffirm their commitment to discouraging drug use and promoting health and safety, in accord with the long-standing principles established under the three international drug policy conventions. Amid calls for radical reform and the legalization of all drugs, it is vitally important to uphold health-first drug policies at the international level.
Policymakers must work tirelessly to prevent kids from beginning drug use and help people with addiction to achieve recovery—this is the most cost-effective and humane way out of the scourge of addiction. We must resolutely reject the trend toward the normalization of drug use.
Efforts based on global cooperation, supply reduction, and the criminal justice system are equally important. More than 100,000 Americans die from overdose every year. Policymakers must face drug cartels head-on in order to keep their lethal drugs out of our neighborhoods—and out of the hands of our kids. The designation of cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, if utilized properly, opens the door to better eliminate these threats.
All of our drug policies must remain oriented toward discouraging drug use. When fewer people use drugs, fewer will be harmed by them. Drug use affects all aspects of a community and results in a reduced quality of life. I reminded national delegations that there is no such thing as safe illicit drug use.
I was also honored to preview a new Blueprint for Effective Drug Policy, dubbed the Hyannis Consensus, which will outline a comprehensive approach policymakers can take to address the drug crisis. It is our hope that this report—based on the recommendations of nearly 100 experts—will serve as a roadmap to guide future financial and legislative decisions.
We reject the false dichotomies that persist in the drug policy field. Too many pit the criminal justice system against the public health system—both are necessary. Likewise, we reject the false dichotomy between legalization and criminalization, as well as between harm reduction and treatment. Policies must be tailored to respond to the specific situation at hand and updated over time.